Vivid Sydney 2012 Lights up Australia's Harbour City

SYDNEY, March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

International artists and creatives are set to descend on Sydney with the announcement of the fourth annual Vivid Sydney program that will transform the city into a canvas of light, music and ideas from 25 May - 11 June.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120315/HK70846 )

The largest creative industries festival in the southern hemisphere, featuring live music performances at Sydney Opera House, creative industry events and large scale light installations around the harbour foreshore, Vivid Sydney was recently ranked as one of the world's top ten ideas festivals by The Guardian newspaper in the UK.

Developed by Destination NSW on behalf of the New South Wales Government, Vivid showcases Sydney as the creative industries hub of the Asia Pacific, with over 500,000 visitors and Sydneysiders expected to attend the free and ticketed events this year.

In 2012 award-winning German light collective, URBANSCEEN will design the centrepiece of Vivid Sydney, the lighting of the Sydney Opera House sails.

Announced today, Vivid Sydney 2012 includes 50 interactive and immersive light art sculptures, illuminated skyscrapers and large scale 3D mapping projections around the iconic Sydney Harbour foreshore. From huge 3D projections to giant glowing dandelions, fibre optic sea grass and animatronic dancing lamps, Vivid features light art works from Germany, France, Poland, Hong Kong, Scotland, USA, Brazil, Singapore and New Zealand to display with Australian works.

Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House features an astounding line-up of local and international artists including opening night act - the critically acclaimed English artist Florence + The Machine who will perform with the Ceremonial Orchestra, taking over the Concert Hall.

Vivid Ideas will explore new innovations and foster business connections with more than 100 industry and business events. Key note speakers include Chad Dickerson, CEO of Etsy and UK fashion talent, Henry Holland, from House of Holland.

Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase said visitors and creative industry practitioners from across the world are invited to come to Sydney to experience Vivid.

"Vivid Sydney is an opportunity to see Australia's harbour city transformed in a new and exciting way through light, music and ideas," she said

The full Vivid Sydney program is available at http://vividsydney.com

Sydney 2012 renders are available at http://vividsydney.com/media-centre

MEDIA CONTACT:

Emma Heath
Avviso PR
+61-2-9368-7277
emmah@avviso.com.au

Kate Pembroke
Destination NSW
+61-2-8114-2400
kate.pembroke@dnsw.com.au